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Hollywood Records

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Hollywood Records
Parent companyDisney Music Group
Founded1989
FounderMichael Eisner
Distributor(s)Universal Music Distribution ; Sony Music Entertainment ; Warner Music Group (Worldwide)[1][2]
SME ; Warner music Distribution CIS (Russia/CIS)[3]
GenreVarious
Country of originUnited States
Location500 S. Buena Vista Street,
Burbank, California
Official websitewww.hollywoodrecords.com

Hollywood Records, Inc. is an American record label of the Disney Music Group which focuses in pop, rock, alternative, hip hop, and teen pop genres. Founded in 1989, its current roster includes former and current Disney Channel artists such as Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, Bridgit Mendler, Zendaya, Bella Thorne, Sabrina Carpenter and several rock bands including Queen, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Plain White T's, Redlight King, R5 and Breaking Benjamin. The roster also includes The X Factor USA finalist Bea Miller and Pretty Little Liars' Lucy Hale.

History

Hollywood Records was founded in 1989 by Michael Eisner, then CEO of Disney looking for and expansion of the music operations of the company, in those days limited to the release of the soundtracks of Walt Disney, Touchstone, and Hollywood Pictures films), also looking to develop and promote the careers of a wide variety of artists in very different genres.

Lawyer Peter Paterno was the first President of the label, until his resignation in 1993 because of the lackluster sales of the company. The only major success in those days for the label, was the agreement to handle the catalog of rock band Queen, an important economic opportunity which was affected by the premature death of vocalist Freddie Mercury.[4]

Bob Pfeifer was named President of the label in march of 1995 after a whole year without a President, but problems continued to the label and Pfeifer was fired in 1997, after the label revealed that have had lost over 150 millions dollars since 1989. In 1997, Disney acquired Mammoth Records, in order to get a record label that could success. However, the acquisition of Mammoth Records was a failure and the label was closed and integreated to Hollywood in 2003.[5]

In 1998, the company decided to form Buena Vista Music Group (now Disney Music Group), integrating the operations of Walt Disney Records along with Hollywood, Lyric Street, Mammoth, and Walt Disney Music Publishing. Bob Cavallo, former manager of Earth, Wind & Fire and Prince was appointed as chairman of the group, and president of Hollywood Records. This movement looked to organize the music operations of the company under a more integrated direction.[6]

After some years of development, Hollywood Records had its first major success in 2003, when Metamorphosis, Hilary Duff's first album was released and became a success to the label, selling over three million copies in the United States. The launch of Duff's career represents a new business model for the record, utilizing the synergies around the company, including important outlets like Disney Channel or Radio Disney. Duff's albums released under Hollywood proved to be equally successful including 2004's Hilary Duff, 2005's Most Wanted and 2007's Dignity.[7]

A similar business model was utilized in subsequent Hollywood's artists like Vanessa Hudgens, Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez with several productions that gained Platinum or Gold certifications. Their musical careers proved that the label had become a success. At the same time, the label continued to develop the careers of artists with a less mainstream profile like Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, Breaking Benjamin or Plain White T's, but who had been successful in its own terms. The label also continued to release soundtracks from movies and TV shows, incluiding those derivated from Marvel Studios productions.

In 2010, Hollywood absorbed the remaining operations of country music label Lyric Street Records, which became an imprint for the catalog of the defunct-label, currently managed by Hollywood. In 2011, Queen left EMI for Universal-owned Island Records, which means that Queen's music is currently worlwide distributed by Universal, because Hollywood Records' albums are distributed in the US by Universal.

After 14 years of a successful tenure, Bob Cavallo retired as Chairman of the Group in January 2012, and Ken Bunt was appointed as President of the group. Several changes has been done under his tenure, incluiding the retire of long-time executives from the Cavallo's era like Abbey Konowitch, Justin Fontaine and Jon Lind and the appointment of new A&R's like Mio Vukovic and Mike Daly.[8]

In March 2013, Disney Music Group and Universal Music Group announced the expansion of their relationship with a new commercial and creative agreement that enable Hollywood Records' artists to collaborate with the roster of producers and songwriters that are part of Universal.[9]

A pseudo-label, DMG Nashville, was formed in 2013 to specialize in country music. The genre label was originally founded to provide music licensing for Bigger Picture Music Group.[10] After Bigger Picture's closure in 2014, DMG Nashville released its first studio album; Lucy Hale's Road Between.[11]

Hollywood BASIC

File:Hollywood BASIC.jpg

Hollywood BASIC [sic] was Hollywood’s short-lived hip-hop subsidiary, run by Dave Funkenklein, which existed from 1990 to 1995.[12] It did not survive the distribution transition its parent made to PolyGram Records, and all of its recordings were deleted, save for those by Organized Konfusion, which were repressed under the new deal. It was the first label to record DJ Shadow, releasing his "Lesson 4" (a reference to Double Dee and Steinski) as the B-side of a 1991 single by Lifers' Group, a hip hop group composed of convicts serving sentences at Rahway Prison in New Jersey. It also released Shadow's Legitimate Mix on the B-side of a single by the group Zimbabwe Legit in 1992.[13] Other notable releases came from Organized Konfusion; its challenging second album, Stress: The Extinction Agenda (1994), was widely acclaimed.[14] The label was also home of Charizma and Peanut Butter Wolf, although, following the shooting death of Charizma in 1993, the music the duo recorded for the label was not released. This would later inspire Peanut Butter Wolf to found Stones Throw Records in order to make this music available.[15] Acts on Hollywood BASIC's roster included Charizma and Peanut Butter Wolf, Lifers' Group, Organized Konfusion, Raw Fusion, Hi-C, and Zimbabwe Legit.

Distribution

Upon its 1989 launch, Hollywood was distributed by Elektra Records in the United States and Canada. Distribution in North America switched to PolyGram (now Universal Music Group) in 1995 (partnered with A&M in Canada until the formation of Universal in 1999). Today, Universal Music Group markets and distributes Hollywood Records catalog in North America, Asia, Latin America and India; while Avex markets and distributes Hollywood Records catalog in Japan. Also, several Hollywood artists including Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez & the Scene, Nick Jonas & the Administration, Joe Jonas, Miley Cyrus and Jonas Brothers re directly signed to Universal Music UK's Fascination Records.[16] In other territories, EMI, Disney's partner in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, distributes the label. There were reports in 2011 that Disney Music Group would start an independent US distribution arm for its label's releases,[citation needed] but as of February 2012, those plans have yet to be enacted. Universal Music Group acquired EMI in 2012 but pledged not to renew its European license with Disney.[17] Bea Miller is the first artist that has had a joint deal with Syco Music and Hollywood Records.

Artists

Albums

See also

References

  1. ^ Graser, Marc (27 March 2013). "Ken Bunt Promoted to President of Disney Music Group". Variety. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  2. ^ "Universal Music Group (UMG) & Disney Music Group (DMG) Expand Agreement Globally". PR Newswire. 20 March 2013. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
  3. ^ Kozlov, Vladimir (25 November 2013). "Disney, Warner Music Strike Russia Distribution Deal". The Hollywood Reporter.
  4. ^ "THE MEDIA BUSINESS; Memo Cites Disney Records' Woes". The New York Times. 27 November 1991.
  5. ^ Gabriel, Trip (28 July 1997). "The Corporate Wooing and Winning of Mammoth Records". The New York Times.
  6. ^ "Regrouping, Disney Music Names Chairman". The New York Times. 12 January 1998.
  7. ^ Sisario, Ben (8 February 2006). "A Musical For Tweens Captures Its Audience". The New York Times.
  8. ^ Finke, Nikki. "Ken Bunt Will Run Disney Music Group In 2012 When Bob Cavallo Retires". Deadline.com. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  9. ^ "Universal Music Group (UMG) & Disney Music Group (DMG) expand agreement globally". 20 March 2013.
  10. ^ Nicholson, Jessica (November 14, 2013). "Bigger Picture Group Teams With DMG For Music Licensing". Music Row. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  11. ^ Hudak, Joseph (May 8, 2014). "Nashville Record Label Closes Up Shop". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  12. ^ "Label: Hollywood BASIC". Rate Your Music. Retrieved 2012-12-06.
  13. ^ Peter Shapiro, Rough Guide to Hip-Hop, 2nd ed. London: Rough Guides/Penguin Books, 2000 (p. 102).
  14. ^ Peter Shapiro, Rough Guide to Hip-Hop, 2nd ed. London: Rough Guides/Penguin Books, 2000 (p. 291).
  15. ^ Peter Shapiro, Rough Guide to Hip-Hop, 2nd ed. London: Rough Guides/Penguin Books, 2000 (pp. 349–351).
  16. ^ "UNIVERSAL MUSIC, DISNEY MUSIC FORGE LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND: Forthcoming Releases Include Jonas Brothers and Hannah Montana". Universal Music Group. Retrieved 2012-12-06.
  17. ^ http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/1084095/universal-emi-merger-approved-by-canadian-regulators
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